Blackout device



June 9, 1942. I H. FELDMAN 2,285,919

' BLACKOUT DEVICE Filed April 9, 1942 19 INVENTOR. HENRY FELDMAN Patented June 9, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BLACKOUT DEVICE Henry Feldman, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application April 9, 1942, Serial No. 438,290

8 Claims.

This invention relates to blackout devices for windows, doors or other openings in buildings.

An object of this invention is to provide a blackout device of the character described, which may be permanently left on the window, door, or the like opening in a building and which can be opened when not in use, so as not to be in the way of normal use of the window, etc.

A further object of this invention is to provide a blackout device of the character described, which will retain the shattered glass from flying into the building.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a blackout device of the character described, including a panel of blackout cloth which is flameproof so as to reduce fire hazard.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a strong and durable blackout device of the character described which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which shall be easy to install and simple to manipulate, and which shall yet be practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a window provided with a blackout device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 1, but with parts broken away and in cross-section;

Fig. 4 is a partial View similar to Fig. l, but showing the blackout device collapsed when not in use; and

Fig. 5 is a partial View of a detail.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, l0 designates a window frame provided with a blackout device embodying the invention. The blackout device comprises a vertical, rigid slat or rod |2 made of wood, metal or the like material, attached to one side l3 of the window frame l0. Member l2 may be attached to the inside of the window frame by screws M as shown in the drawing, or any other suitable attachment means.

Attached to the opposite side l6 of the Window frame I0, is a rod or slat similar to member 2. Said member I! may be attached to the in ner surface of said window frame portion l6 as by screws l9, or in any other-suitable manner. Members l2 and I! extend substantially the full length of the window frame, but may be attached to the front surfaces of portions I3 and I6 of the window frame, if desired.

Interconnecting members I2 and I! are parallel cords 2| located adjacent the upper and lower ends of said members. The cords 2| may be made from stranded metal Wire. The slats l2 and I! may be formed with drilled openings I21; and lid through which the cords 2| pass, the ends of said cords then being folded against the upper and lower edges of the slats and attached thereto, by tacks as at 23, or in any other suitable manner. The cords 2| may be replaced by rods or rails, if desired.

Attached to the inner side of slat I2 is one edge 25 of a rectangular sheet or panel 26 of blackout cloth, preferably flame-proofed. Edge portion 25 of panel 26 may be attached to the slat l2 by tacks 21, or in any other suitable manner. The opposite edge of panel 26 is tacked to a vertical rod or slat 30, parallel to the slats l2 and I1 and co-extensive therewith.

The slat 3G is formed with horizontal through openings 32, slidably receiving the cords 2|. Thus, slat 30 may be slidably moved to the right or left, on the cords 2| The upper and lower edges of the panel 26 are preferably hemmed back as at 34 and 35. Stitched or otherwise attached to the panel 26 are rows of spaced rings 36 slidably receiving the cords 2|. are a pair of eyes 38, and hingedly mounted on slat 3B are hooks 39 adapted to engage the ends 38 when the blackout device is in operative use. The hooks keep slat 3|! in contact with slat l1.

It will now be understood that when the blackout device is in use, panel 26 covers the entire window opening and will permit no light to pass through the window.

The panel 26 overlaps the upper portion of the upper window sash and the lower portion of the lower window sash, and preferably extends from the under surface of the upper portion of the window frame In, to the upper surface of the bottom portion of said window frame. When the blackout device is not in use, the hooks 39 need merely be unhooked from the eyes 38, and slat 30 then slidably moved to the left, causing the panel to fold as shown in Fig. 4.

Attached to panel 26 are one or more straps 40 which may be provided with snap fasteners 4| adapted to snap onto complementary snap fasteners 42 on slot 30 to retain slot 30 in inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

It will be noted that the entire blackout device may be very compactly packed for shipping purposes, since the entire device may be rolled up, the cords 2| being flexible to permit the rolling. It will be further noted that the blackout device may be easily installed, it merely bemerely being necessary to attach the slats I2 and I! to portions of the door on opposite sides of the glass panel to be blacked out.

-While the drawing shows the slats I2 and I! to be vertical, it will be understood that said slats may be attached to the top and bottom of the window frame, so that movement of slat 30 is up 1 and down instead of from left to right.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A blackout device comprising a pair of parallel, coextensive rigid members, guide means interconnecting said pair of members, a third member parallel to aid pair of members, and coextensive therewith and disposed therebetween, and slidably mounted on said guide means, a flexible sheet substantially coextensive with said pair of parallel members, interconnecting one of said pair of parallel members with said third member.

2. A blackout device comprising a pair of parallel coextensive rigid members, guide means interconnecting said pair of members, a third member parallel to said pair of members, and coextensive therewith and disposed therebetween, and slidably mounted on said guide means, a flexible sheet substantially coextensive with said pair of parallel members, interconnecting one of said pair of parallel members with said third member, and means to detachably connect said third member with the other of said pair of parallel members.

3. A blackout device comprising a piar of parallel coextensive rigid members, guide means interconnecting said pair of members, a third member parallel to said pair of members, and coextensive therewith and disposed therebetween, and slidably mounted on said guide means, a flexible sheet substantially coextensive with said pair of parallel members, interconnecting one of said pair of parallel members with said third member, means to detachably connect said third member with the other of said pair of parallel members, and means on said sheet slidably engaging said guide means.

4. A blackout device comprising a pair of parallel coextensive rigid members, guide means interconnecting said pair of members, a third member parallel to said pair of members, and coextensive therewith and disposed therebetween, and slidably mounted on said guide means, a flexible sheet substantially coextensive with said pair of parallel members, interconnecting one of said pair of parallel members with said third member, means to detachably connect said third member with the other of said pair of parallel members, and detachable means to interconnect said first of said pair of parallel members to said third member, upon disconnecting said third member from said other of said pair of parallel members, and moving the same toward said first of said pair of parallel members.

5. A blackout device comprising a pair of parallel, rigid, coextensive members, a pair of parallel, flexible cords interconnecting the upper and lower ends of said members, a third member parallel to the first two members and disposed therebetween and having through openings through which said cords pass, and a sheet of blackout material attached at one edge to one of said pair of parallel members, and at its opposite edge to said third member.

6. A blackout device comprising a pair of parallel, rigid, coextensive members, a pair of parallel, flexible cords interconnecting the upper and lower ends of said members, a third member parallel to the first two members and disposed therebetween and having through openings through which said cords pass, a sheet of blackout material attached at one edge to one of said pair of parallel members, and at its opposite edge to said third member, and means to detachably connect the third member to the other of said pair of parallel members in mutually contacting relation.

'7. A blackout device comprising a pair of parallel, rigid, coextensive members, a pair of parallel, flexible cords interconnecting the upper and lower ends of said members, a third member parallel to the first two members and disposed therebetween and having through openings through which said cords pass, a sheet of blackout material attached at one edge to one of said pair of parallel members, and at its opposite edge to said third member, means to detachably connect the third member to the other of said pair of parallel members in mutually contacting relation, and a plurality of rings at the upper and lower ends of said sheet receiving said cords.

8. A blackout device comprising a pair of parallel, rigid, coextensive members, a pair of parallel, flexible cords interconnecting the upper and lower ends of said members, a third member parallel to the first two members and disposed therebetween and having through openings through which said cords pass, a sheet of blackout material attached at one edge to one of said pair of parallel members, and at its opposite edge to said third member, means to detachably connect the third member to the other of said pair of parallel members in mutually contacting relation, a plurality of rings at the upper and lower ends of said sheet receiving said cords, and a strap on the first of said pair of parallel members having means for detachable attachment to said third member upon disconnecting said third member from the other of said pair of parallel members and moving said third member towards the first of said pair of parallel members.

HENRY FELDMAN. 

